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Home > News and Events > News Archive - 2005 >

National Preparedness Month - 2005

National Preparedness Month - September 2005

National Preparedness Month is a nationwide effort held each September to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, communities, businesses, and schools.

Although many MRC units nationwide have recently devoted much of their energy and resources to support the hurricane relief and recovery efforts, they have still found the time to promote and participate in National Preparedness Month. MRC units have helped to increase public awareness about the importance of preparing for emergencies and to encourage individuals to take action. The following outreach activities, trainings, exercises, and media events are examples of what local MRC units have done to demonstrate their commitment to making their communities more prepared.

Outreach

  • The Paducah-McCracken County (KY) MRC joined forces with other local agencies to participate in a Preparedness Expo.
  • The Guam MRC worked with the Department of Health and Social Services to conduct free blood pressure and cholesterol screenings for community members at GHS/OCD's Public Awareness Expo, which was held at a local mall.
  • The Rural NW Florida MRC participated in a Preparedness Fair at the Panama City Mall.
  • The San Bernardino (CA) MRC participated in the Route 66 Celebration, where they had a booth to use for preparedness education and promotion for 3 days.
  • The Alexandria (VA) MRC met with about 10 neighborhood associations and distributed a new brochure they created entitled ARE YOU READY?
  • The Beach Cities Health District (CA) MRC participated in the ‘Heart’ event and held a city disaster planning meeting.
  • The Brookline (MA) MRC was part of the Town’s 300th anniversary celebration and festival with more than 30,000 participants. The celebration had a preparedness focus.
  • The Tahoe (CA) MRC sponsored a medical emergency fair.
  • The Snohomish County (WA) MRC, with the Snohomish County Chapter of American Red Cross and Senior Services of Snohomish County, launched a community outreach program this month called "File of Life" to better prepare community residents. They will be distributing more than 10,000 red magnetized files with an insert that lists medical and important contact information for individuals. The files, when used on a refrigerator, make it easier for emergency medical personnel to find important medical information quickly. They also received a card to put in their wallets.
  • The Citizen Corps of Yellowstone County (MT) MRC held an event entitled Personal Readiness in Disasters and Emergencies (PRIDE) Day. The MRC unit set up informational preparedness booths in the center court of a local mall. There were 9 booths set up in the mall and various emergency response vehicles in the parking lot. One of the most popular features was the bomb robot demonstrations. The MRC distributed preparedness information to more than 500 people.
  • The MRC of York County (PA), Adams County (PA), and Carroll County (MD) helped local police departments provide child identification kits to 222 children during the Child ID program kick-off event at Hanover Rehabilitation Center's Pediatric Fair. Each kit contained a laminated wallet card featuring a photograph and fingerprint of the child, an inkless fingerprint card, and a DNA collection envelope.

Training

  • The Guam MRC taught the Triage and MedOps portions of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training.
  • The Yale-New Haven (CT) MRC sponsored an Emergency Preparedness Seminar for several hundred participants featuring national experts from the preparedness field.
  • The Frederick (MD) MRC, in partnership with the Western Maryland MRC, led a kick-off training for a Western Maryland-based inter-jurisdictional spontaneous volunteer mobilization center.
  • The MRC of Southwestern Vermont sponsored a 2-day disaster preparedness training session for response volunteers.
  • The Western Tidewater (VA), Hertford County (NC) & Albermarle County (NC) MRC offered disaster and terrorism preparedness trainings.
  • The Nashua (NH), Derry (NH) and North Country (NH) MRC units worked with the New Hampshire Citizen Corps to develop a 1-day seminar on preparedness. The MRC units had a demonstration table and offered a break-out presentation.
  • The Monmouth County (NJ) MRC hosted an Incident Command Structure (ICS 100) training and an Infectious Disease and Epidemiology training.
  • The Fresno County (CA) MRC presented disaster preparedness for senior citizens to the Agency on Aging. They also presented on the MRC program at the Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) conference and the Amateur Radio Conference. In addition, the Fresno County MRC launched year three of Fresno Safe and Proud Neighborhoods, an Americorps-sponsored program.
  • The San Bernardino (CA) MRC partnered with Kaiser Permanente to offer preparedness training in the community.

Exercises

  • The Montgomery County (MD) MRC participated in an Emergency Preparedness Exercise sponsored by the Montgomery County Hospital Collaborative for Emergency Preparedness. The exercise used 500 volunteers to test the consortium of hospital’s ability to manage mass casualties (including special needs populations), provide decontamination, surge capability, and internal and external communications.
  • The Western Tidewater (VA), Hertford County (NC) & Albermarle County (NC) MRC units participated in a regional SNS Dispensing Drill in Newport News, VA.
  • The Southwest Florida MRC participated in the Lee County Disaster Drill.
  • The UVAMRC (VA) participated in a local emergency response drill on September 10th and 11th. Participants shadowed first responders on the 10th and played a more hands-on role on the 11th at the UVA hospital ED mass casualty triage scenario.
  • The Monmouth County (NJ) MRC participated in a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) drill.

Media Events

  • The Mid-America (MO) MRC worked with a local public radio station to produce a radio program on bioterrorism preparedness. The program was broadcasted in conjunction with the "In the Balance" PBS program to highlight National Preparedness Month. Two Mid-America MRC members were guests on the radio program.
  • The Orlando (FL) MRC participated in a press conference with the mayor, police chief, fire chief, American Red Cross, and Office of Emergency Management to promote National Preparedness Month.
  • The Yavapai County (AZ) MRC unit participated in the Second Annual MRC Appreciation Picnic held on 9/11. The event memorialized the victims of 9/11 and the servicemen and women who have lost their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq. They also held a press conference for local media and appeared on a local public health television broadcast to promote the MRC program and personal preparedness. In addition, the Yavapai County MRC appeared on a statewide public interest television broadcast on 9-11 to discuss personal preparedness.

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Last Updated on 5/25/2006
 
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